Sarah Tolfrey, 38, did well at school, particularly in maths, but left at 16, taking a banking job in London instead. Three children later, she decided to look again at her youthful dream of going to university.
She knew she had left it late and had her doubts. “It seemed self-indulgent and there was the expense. It was a big step for me,” she says. But friends encouraged her to think about Clearing and she had a look at universities close by, one of which was Greenwich. Her open day experience was so good that she signed up with Ucas.
On the strength of a short course in maths she had taken at the Open University, Greenwich accepted her. Their faith was justified – she got a first for her first year.
Clearing was “overwhelming”, she says, but Greenwich was so supportive she never felt she couldn’t cope. “Going back to university was one of the best things I ever did,” she says.
Nowadays, Clearing is seen as a legitimate route into higher education, not simply a way in for those who didn’t achieve their A-level grades, says Alison Wilde, admissions manager at Nottingham Trent University.
How to apply through Clearing
Prospective students are advised to think hard about the area they want to study and to go online to see what courses are available. The best thing is to talk to an admissions tutor on the phone, says Martin Pout, assistant dean in the School of Arts and Media at Teesside University.
And imake a list of the points you want to get across before you pick up the telephone.
Susie King, head of admissions at the University of Bedfordshire, advises mature applicants – defined as people setting out to study at 21 and over – to make sure they can lay their hands on the certificates of qualifications they already have.
They should think about the work or voluntary experience they have and be ready to turn up for an interview, she says. As soon as they know they have a place, they should get their student finance application in, she adds.
Laura Kishore, head of admissions at Oxford Brookes, advises applicants to organise someone to write a reference for them – “especially someone with insight into what the applicant might be doing at university”.
Some mature students will find they need to enter university via a foundation or access course because they have been out of education for so long.
Don’t worry about applying late. “Universities can deal with that,” says Justin Lynas, head of student process and systems at Birkbeck.
Once you get there
For mature students, the anxieties are often about whether they will fit in and cope academically – and how they will juggle family and work commitments with their studies.
Wildeadvises: “Recognise that maturity is a strength,” she says. “Be aware that there will be a lot of other students like you, over the age of 21, and that everyone will be worried about something.”
Mature students should try to prepare ahead of time by finding out coursework and examination schedules and ensuring they can meet their study deadlines and balance work and family responsibilities alongside them.
Many universities have special support for mature students. The University of Bedfordshire has a mature students’ officer in its student union and Nottingham Trent has trained officers in its student support services teams to help mature students. Students aged 21 and over are encouraged to telephone or email if they need help before or during their course.
It also holds networking events specifically for older students to get to know one another, as well as having a society for older students.
Help with finances
Financial issues are of particular concern to most mature students because of their additional responsibilities including mortgages and families. Universities assist students to plan their finances effectively through their financial support services, which help them to draw up budgets and point them towards sources of funding.
When it comes to loans and grants, mature students are entitled to the same as 18-year-olds – in other words, they can apply for a tuition-fee loan and a maintenance loan and, if they are from a low-income household, they can apply for a maintenance grant. This year, however, is the last year that they can apply for the grant, which is being abolished in 2016.
Some universities have extra grants. All students at Teesside, for example, get a Kickstart award of £500 that in their first year, and Bedfordshire has an access bursary of £450 over three years. In addition, Teesside gives an extra bursary to all students who get at least three Bs in their A-levels. All these awards go to students regardless of their age.
Mature students with caring responsibilities (for children or parents) should get help from their university when applying for government grants for childcare or learning.
Students of all ages in financial trouble can access hardship funds and short-term loans. Bursaries may also be available for people from low-income households.
Laura Kishore, head of admissions at Oxford Brookes, advises applicants to go online to research the availability of bursaries and scholarships at their preferred universities.
Accommodation arrangements vary enormously. At Teesside, where 47% of students are over 21 on entry, there is no specific housing for mature students. Oxford Brookes, however, has flats for families and for postgraduates and older students – more expensive than regular accommodation, but also quieter and more studious.
Mark’s story: revisiting a dream
When Mark Hardaker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis he decided to change career – which meant going to university.
Mark Hardaker, 41, left school with a handful of GCSEs. Now he’s getting top marks in his degree, has won an academic prize for his writing and has had more than 100 articles published. He quit his career as a partner in a hair salon in Birmingham when he was diagnosed with MS, returning to Cornwall to be close to family. Memories of sitting in the offices of The Cornishman – a magazine edited by his stepfather – stirred thoughts of journalism. “I used to go in and proofread when I was young – I loved the buzz of the place.”
On an open day at Falmouth University, academics convinced him to apply through Clearing. He had a phone interview and was offered a place within a fortnight. Mark has since picked up the student prize for best news story and seen his work published in magazines. “When I was diagnosed, I thought it was game over. But I just needed to rethink my career path.”
Alex’s story
Alex Boorman, 33, is in his first year studying nutrition at Kingston University.
I left school at 16 and headed straight into the building trade, spending the next decade honing my skills. But since health and diet had always been very important to me, I started to dream about doing a degree in a related subject area, and enrolled on a health and human sciences access course. I worked hard and when I researched higher education options, decided that a degree in nutrition would tick all the boxes.
I was hampered by not having studied chemistry on my access course, so several universities wouldn’t even consider me. After getting my results, I hit the Clearing lines and got through to Kingston. The hotline operator put me in touch with a tutor who took all my experiences into account and was willing to give me a shot. I couldn’t believe that within just a few hours of contacting the university, I had been offered a place.
If you are dedicated and you want it enough, you can get a degree at any time in your life and Clearing could be the way to achieve that ambition. My advice for this year’s Clearing students is that it doesn’t matter how you get your place on a course, so much as how you conduct yourself once you’re there.
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